Just In Time For An Election
The government’s announcement today charging six defendants at Guantánamo Bay for crimes stemming from the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, are the Bush administration’s boldest attempt to prove it can bring justice to the detainees.
I’m sure the presidential election campaign has nothing to do with this, nothing.
Charged after 6 years in custody.
Yes, interesting timing.
And they are seeking the death penalty. What a great way to re-ignite the 9-11 fear and whip the blood lust, about the only thing Republicans can count of for votes.
I for one do not support the death penalty for anyone, under any circumstances for reasons of conscience and ideals. Even for the 9-11 plotters.
In this case, however, I do not support it for more pragmatic reasons – all information about their guilt was obtained via torture. In a regular criminal court, it not only would be inadmissible, it would likely result in charges against those committing the torture.
We can’t look the other way on this. If they can torture someone into giving information that is then used to convict them of a capital crime, even people as seemingly heinous as these 6 defendants, then what stops them from doing the same to you or I?
Nothing.
The Endarkenment continues…
The saddest part of the whole mess is not that the Bush administration believes that the people it pretends to represent are not intelligent enough to see through such blatent tactics – it is that so many either apparently do not, or willingly agree with them in the name of The Party.